Monthly Archives: March 2011

So we're one week back into school after spring break, and
unfortunately the novelty of school being back has already worn
off. Thank goodness I have memories of a fantastic last spring
break (as a fourth year student, some of us have to work the spring
break holiday next year) to help me through the tests and projects
that seem to have plagued us this week...
So my roommates and I, wanting a change of pace from the usual
beach-driven spring break, decided to plan a road trip out west.
After much deliberation (I think it took us about an hour), we
decided to visit one of the greatest wonders that America has to
offer: The Grand Canyon. We thought that driving across three
states and camping would help get our minds off of vet school;
however, I found that easier said than done.
So after excessive planning of our route and packing, we started
our two day drive toward the Grand Canyon. The drive included, in
true spring break fashion, listening...
(Read More)

Another round of blogging is here and Spring Break has just
ended. Since I didn't go home and work, I am sitting here
trying to figure out what to write about. After a few minutes
of thinking, I've decided to write about something I'm interested
in, and its implications in veterinary medicine.
I have always been interested in helping both people and
animals. This past fall, I took an elective course on
Emergency Response and Disaster Management, and I learned about the
integral part a veterinarian can play in disaster planning. I
was so intrigued by this topic, I decided to resume my Master's
program (yes, I am crazy being dual-enrolled in vet school) and
finish my studies learning about disaster prevention and
management. Right now, I am taking a break from writing my
paper on this topic to write this blog.
Veterinarians are instrumental in the development of emergency
planning. Certain aspects need to be ...
(Read More)

However, spring break is also traditionally the time of year
that the current applicants get their letters, and hearing from
another group of friends always makes me remember the weeks leading
up to getting my own letter four years ago. Starting in late
February, I, who never checked the mail in our apartment, started
checking at least once a day - including Sundays, just in
case. It was the favorite topic of just about every class
time conversation - "Have you gotten your letter yet?" "No, not
yet. You?" "I heard they were mailing them this week,
though…" (I swear I heard that someone's friend's cousin's
roommate who worked in the dean's office mailed them at least half
a dozen times between February and March.) The week before
spring break, I got two phone calls from friends saying they were
in. All the rest of us waited anxiously. I probably
started checking the mail twice a day at that point. The...
(Read More)

Vet school is definitely a precarious place for
relationships. The thirty to forty hours per week spent in
class followed by the hours of studying required once you finally
get home in the evenings puts a huge strain on all your
relationships. Besides the students, the individuals most greatly
affected are definitely their husbands and wives.
When you enter vet school with a husband, wife, or significant
other they are almost enrolling with you. Their dedication to
support, to encourage, and to understand the requirement of time
and money required for completion of the program is essential to
maintaining the relationship through the four years until
graduation.
When I began the program, my then boyfriend and I had been
dating for 3 years. He knew from the beginning of our relationship
that vet school was going to be part of the deal. Even with that
understanding, we definitely had some bumps in the road in figuring
out how to balance b...
(Read More)